Vater Sugar Maple Drum Sticks 5B Wood

I am new to drumming and purchased some 5a hickory sticks with my e kit. I quickly realized I liked the sticks that were included better. Lighter , larger diameter and softer wood didn't transfer as much vibrations from impacts nearly as much as the hickory. Factory sticks are a little too soft and wear quickly. So I needed larger diameter, not too heavy, more durable and less vibration. Enter the 5b sugar maple . Perfect!

I've tried just about every hickory stick out there man. They're great. Maple is proven to be the least durable of the big 3 wood species in drumstick manufacturing, but these hold up surprisingly well for what they are. Most of my stick wear tends to be in the center of the stick from rim-shotting backbeats. I've never had a problem with tips getting flimsy or breaking. These Vater Sugar Maple 5B are hands down my favorite stick I've ever used. I've always been more of a 5A (and in certain situations 7A) guy because I never liked how heavy and cumbersome almost sticks over .570 in diameter felt. These are .605 diameter and are incredibly lightweight and very well balanced, while giving plenty of grip size for ease of handling. As I've previously mentioned, they're also more durable than I was expecting a maple stick to be. They've been lasting me an average of 15 - 20 hours of playing per pair, which is good enough for me. They're everything I've been looking for in a stick, and I can get them for less than $8/pair most of the time. I honestly can't imagine switching any time soon. Give them a try (unless maybe you're a serious "caveman" who pummels your equipment relentlessly. In that case, I'd go with a hickory or even oak model maybe.) I'd wager you won't be disappointed!